Arab League foreign ministers have endorsed sanctions against Syria after Damascus ignored their plan to allow monitors into the country.

The measures were announced in Cairo by Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani.

"The council has decided, one, to ban the travel of senior Syrian figures and officials to Arab states and to freeze their assets in Arab states. ... Two, to stop dealing with the Syrian central bank," Thani said.

He continued: "Three, to stop trade deals with the Syrian government with the exception of strategic products that affect the Syrian people. Four, to freeze the bank assets of the Syrian government. Five, to stop financial dealings with the Syrian government."

Thani said 19 of the league's 22 member nations approved the sanctions, which come after the organization suspended Syria earlier this month, in a move denounced by Damascus as meddling in its affairs.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has accused the organization of seeking to "internationalize" the crisis in his country.

Meanwhile, violence continued on November 27, with the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights saying at least 15 people were killed across the country.

The United Nations estimates some 3,500 people have died as Syria has sought to put down antigovernment protests.